Guys Fields in his interview claims the injury started becoming noticeable in training camp.
After he was signed.

Also, its not his elbow, rather his hand clenches up randomly every now and then. He was trying to shoot through it, and that may be that weird adjustment he always makes when he shoots. Many of us noticed the 'hitch' in his shot.

Guys Fields in his interview claims the injury started becoming noticeable in training camp.
After he was signed.

Also, its not his elbow, rather his hand clenches up randomly every now and then. He was trying to shoot through it, and that may be that weird adjustment he always makes when he shoots. Many of us noticed the 'hitch' in his shot.

It's the Ulnar Nerve, which runs from the elbow to the hand. The surgery was done on the elbow likely to help the effects on his hand.

Guys Fields in his interview claims the injury started becoming noticeable in training camp.
After he was signed.

Also, its not his elbow, rather his hand clenches up randomly every now and then. He was trying to shoot through it, and that may be that weird adjustment he always makes when he shoots. Many of us noticed the 'hitch' in his shot.

I'm pretty sure the surgery was on his elbow, to move the nerve (listen to the video clip that got posted yesterday). It was the nerve in the elbow that, every time the elbow bent, caused his finger to clench. Cause and effect...

They're going to have to learn the hard way sooner or later don't they? Why not do it now? Doesn't a player grow by learning from his mistakes? The team is 2-6 so its obvious that the players Casey has had on the floor in past games haven't done the job.

There's a reason for the term "hard way", in that there's other ways that don't entail going through some of the things that "hard" represents. The "hard way" doesn't have to come 'sooner or later". Somehow I'd take more stock in what an NBA coach such as Casey, with his vast experience in the league, the player actually being his pick, having spent time over the summer and a month of preseason with him, with a sports psychologist's input, to have a better idea what's the best way to bring the kid along. The kid will get his chances in due time.

In case you think this is something unusual, the Raps aren't the only ones going slow with lottery rookies. Thomas Robinson, 5th pick, is getting 11 minutes a game. Drummond, #9, averaging 15, with only 11/12 last two games. Kendall Marshall has seen the floor for all of 8 minutes over 9 games. Lamb has seen the floor for 12 minutes. Henson has seen the floor for 24 minutes. There may be a variety of factors that make some of these scenarios different, but some are very close.

At the end of the day, the "hard way" is not inevitable and some people who've been around the game professionally for a lot of years feel that more harm can come from throwing rookies, that they feel aren't ready yet, to the wolves at the beginning of their first season. What harm can it do? 1. Word is that he needs time in the weight room, just like DD needed, perhaps more so as he's pretty slight and playing in the NBA is not the same as playing against boys in college. 2. Perhaps they don't want to risk damaging his psyche/confidence so early, seeing as they don't have to take that risk, to please a few impatient fans.

There's a reason for the term "hard way", in that there's other ways that don't entail going through some of the things that "hard" represents. The "hard way" doesn't have to come 'sooner or later". Somehow I'd take more stock in what an NBA coach such as Casey, with his vast experience in the league, the player actually being his pick, having spent time over the summer and a month of preseason with him, with a sports psychologist's input, to have a better idea what's the best way to bring the kid along. The kid will get his chances in due time.

In case you think this is something unusual, the Raps aren't the only ones going slow with lottery rookies. Thomas Robinson, 5th pick, is getting 11 minutes a game. Drummond, #9, averaging 15, with only 11/12 last two games. Kendall Marshall has seen the floor for all of 8 minutes over 9 games. Lamb has seen the floor for 12 minutes. Henson has seen the floor for 24 minutes. There may be a variety of factors that make some of these scenarios different, but some are very close.

At the end of the day, the "hard way" is not inevitable and some people who've been around the game professionally for a lot of years feel that more harm can come from throwing rookies, that they feel aren't ready yet, to the wolves at the beginning of their first season. What harm can it do? 1. Word is that he needs time in the weight room, just like DD needed, perhaps more so as he's pretty slight and playing in the NBA is not the same as playing against boys in college. 2. Perhaps they don't want to risk damaging his psyche/confidence so early, seeing as they don't have to take that risk, to please a few impatient fans.

So when is it the right time to throw them to the wolves then? Mid-season? How do you judge that as a sports psychologist/coach? Because Jonas is playing well right now and STILL can't get playing time in the crucial moments of the game. They're professional NBA players. I think they know as rookies, calls won't always go their way and that they'll make mistakes throughout the game. I don't really see why there is a need to coddle them. Jonas played professionally over in Europe where there is a lot of pressure on players to perform well while playing in arenas with playoff type atmospheres night in and night out. If anything, playing an inferior player like Aaron Gray while benching him would be damaging his psyche a little bit don't you think?

My guess is that Ross hasn't grasped Casey's concepts/principles as quickly as Jonas has, and as a result, Casey's confidence in Ross isn't quite there yet.

Edit: I would guess that winning now is a higher priority than developing Ross for the future, especially considering what appears to be a (semi) realistic goal of making the playoffs for the first time in 5 years.

So when is it the right time to throw them to the wolves then? Mid-season? How do you judge that as a sports psychologist/coach? Because Jonas is playing well right now and STILL can't get playing time in the crucial moments of the game. They're professional NBA players. I think they know as rookies, calls won't always go their way and that they'll make mistakes throughout the game. I don't really see why there is a need to coddle them. Jonas played professionally over in Europe where there is a lot of pressure on players to perform well while playing in arenas with playoff type atmospheres night in and night out. If anything, playing an inferior player like Aaron Gray while benching him would be damaging his psyche a little bit don't you think?

I don't know what to say, man, except that I guess you need to experience more life in the real world to grasp that everything isn't black or white, and that all people are individuals with different needs, even in the world of professional sport.

I don't know what to say, man, except that I guess you need to experience more life in the real world to grasp that everything isn't black or white, and that all people are individuals with different needs, even in the world of professional sport.

Wow. Just wow. So now you attack the poster by saying I should experience more life in the real world. Very classy. I'm not going to stoop to your level so enjoy the rest of your day.

Wow. Just wow. So now you attack the poster by saying I should experience more life in the real world. Very classy. I'm not going to stoop to your level so enjoy the rest of your day.

Hey, I'm sorry if that insulted you, but your view seems to be that of a 12 year old. If you feel insulted about that, you're making a wise choice not to try and "rise" to my level just yet. For your sake, I hope you one day rise above mine, but for now you need to realize that your view of the world is limited, and accept that professionals like coach Casey may know a little more about how to bring along a young basketball player better than you.

To try once more to point out how all individuals are different and there no ONE way to deal with them:

Imagine that JV and Ross are both 4 month old Labrador puppies. JV has grown to his young 4 months living on the lake and experiencing water for the last 2 months with older dogs all around him, loving the water (Jonas playing pro in Europe). Ross has grown up playing in his run with his litter mates, and has never experienced water. They both may grow up to be champion field trial Labs, but at this stage of their development, you don't carry Ross out to the end of the dock and toss him in because he's a Lab and they love water and he's gotta learn some time. He'll swim, but he may well be psyched out about water the rest of his life and goodbye field trial champion potential. You introduce the water to him a little at a time. With Jonas, he's been bouncing around in the water for months, so you can toss him in without fear he'll be terrorized by it, but you don't force him to stay in there for the same lengths of time that you will when he's a year old. What's good for one person isn't necessarily good for the next. Life isn't black/white.

Hey, I'm sorry if that insulted you, but your view seems to be that of a 12 year old. If you feel insulted about that, you're making a wise choice not to try and "rise" to my level just yet. For your sake, I hope you one day rise above mine, but for now you need to realize that your view of the world is limited, and accept that professionals like coach Casey may know a little more about how to bring along a young basketball player better than you.

To try once more to point out how all individuals are different and there no ONE way to deal with them:

Imagine that JV and Ross are both 4 month old Labrador puppies. JV has grown to his young 4 months living on the lake and experiencing water for the last 2 months with older dogs all around him, loving the water (Jonas playing pro in Europe). Ross has grown up playing in his run with his litter mates, and has never experienced water. They both may grow up to be champion field trial Labs, but at this stage of their development, you don't carry Ross out to the end of the dock and toss him in because he's a Lab and they love water and he's gotta learn some time. He'll swim, but he may well be psyched out about water the rest of his life and goodbye field trial champion potential. You introduce the water to him a little at a time. With Jonas, he's been bouncing around in the water for months, so you can toss him in without fear he'll be terrorized by it, but you don't force him to stay in there for the same lengths of time that you will when he's a year old. What's good for one person isn't necessarily good for the next. Life isn't black/white.

Get off your high horse buddy. Coaches may know more than me but that doesn't mean they don't make mistakes. Coaches get fired all the time for being incompetent. Just look at Mike Brown who got fired five games into the season. Minnesota fans also questioned his rotations back when he was their coach. Casey's rotations have been questionable since the start of the season and if you can't see that, you are definitely wearing rose-coloured glasses. Just because I have a different opinion than you doesn't mean you have to resort with name calling. That is just a cowardly move and just shows that you are on the losing end of the argument. Period.

Get off your high horse buddy. Coaches may know more than me but that doesn't mean they don't make mistakes. Coaches get fired all the time for being incompetent. Just look at Mike Brown who got fired five games into the season. Minnesota fans also questioned his rotations back when he was their coach. Casey's rotations have been questionable since the start of the season and if you can't see that, you are definitely wearing rose-coloured glasses. Just because I have a different opinion than you doesn't mean you have to resort with name calling. That is just a cowardly move and just shows that you are on the losing end of the argument. Period.

Off to the ignore list you go.

Name calling? Huh? Through 3 posts, I thought I was reasonably civilized, but I gather "view of a 12 year old" is bad name calling to you? I've seen sensitive before, but geee, I'm very sorry, and wish you well.

if we didnt spend the money on fields i would like the pietrus signing. i like mcguire though. i don't agree with the post about players of his ilk only being valuable to top tier teams. someone who does what casey preaches very well threatens the playing time of others on a nightly basis. if they aren't scoring and their defense drops at least he knows he has a player he can count on to defend and still put up no points.

if he rewards actual playing time based on how they are in the gym and practices then it's just more drive for everyone. no one wants to lose their spot to #15 on the depth chart.

Some are suggesting that Fields' condition was a slow developing one that could've been missed during a physical. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that "elbow nerve sensitivity" isn't something explicitly checked during physicals

And it was something he wasn't even aware of until training camp.... if you take him at his word, of course.